The D.C.-based nonprofit ACTA publishes an annual survey entitled "What Will They Learn?", which assesses general education curricula at more than 1,100 four-year institutions across the United States and grades them on an A-F scale.

The grade hinges on whether universities include seven core subjects as requirements: composition, literature, intermediate-level foreign language, U.S. government or history, economics, mathematics, and natural science.

Of the seven subjects, NMSU requires only composition, math, and science, earning it a 'C.'

In a statement for the Sun-News, Fant called ACTA's criteria "restrictive," and said that New Mexico institutions take a broader approach for general education requirements, while all of ACTA's requirements are available to NMSU students.

"New Mexico State University’s general education requirements are governed in part by the state-wide New Mexico Common Core," Fant wrote. "These five areas include communications, mathematics, laboratory science, social/behavioral sciences, humanities/fine arts. Additionally, all students are required to take six credits of 'Viewing a Wider World.'"

Per NMSU's website, the university requires students to take two "Viewing A Wider World" courses, with one outside the department of the student's major and not counted toward the student's major. Students may also earn VWW credit by studying abroad or for military service.

The deputy provost also noted that the New Mexico Higher Education Department recently revised the state's general education requirements. The new mandate takes effect in the next academic year, following recommendations on curriculum by a committee chaired by recently retired NMSU provost Dan Howard.

"In addition to providing a broad-based general education," Fant wrote, "courses will include skills highly valued by college graduates whether they are going directly into the workplace or on to graduate studies. These essential skills include: communication, critical thinking, information and digital literacy, personal and social responsibility, quantitative reasoning."

ACTA rated the state of New Mexico above average for requirements in foreign language, economics, and natural science, although just one institution, St. John's College, received an 'A' and two schools, New Mexico Highlands University and Western New Mexico University, were given 'F' grades for requiring only one, or none, of ACTA's core subjects.

"All (of ACTA's requirements) are available to our students, so that a student wishing to have that kind of traditional experience can find it at NMSU," Fant wrote. "However, our faculty believe that a broader approach allows students flexibility to align general education with an individual’s long-term goals."